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Artwork: Jessica Bianca Espiritu
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "I wish that our family will soon have
a house and that we could be happy."
Photo Credit: Tomas Leonor/ AirJuan
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Dear kids of Tacloban,
It has been a month since we visited your beloved city, but
I am still getting emotional every time my memories fly back to that morning of
December 18, 2013. It was the day we all first met. We saw happy faces in the middle of makeshift
houses, disaster debris and obvious scarcity of everything. A life changing day that made me reflect how
I am living my life.
I could still remember my worry when we saw your big group
compared to the drawing materials we brought. We only have a few pieces of bond
papers and pencils.
Personally, I would want a whole bond paper and a complete set of color
materials for each of you to properly draw your wishes. It will be more fun
scribbling, sketching and creating your wishes with everything available within
your reach. Alas, life is not always generous.
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| Jessica Bianca Espiritu |
But you left me speechless and amazed when you happily
accepted half piece of papers and pencils poorly sharpened using a blunt
jungle knife. When I was your age, I
always wanted toys solely for myself. My brother and I also love to draw, but I
will not let him touch my coloring materials. I usually draw cartoon characters
and I always wish for super powers. But you are all different.
I would want to wish for world peace. I will always pray for
it for sure, every single day. I would want to ask for stronger faith for all
the Filipinos towards the government and the future of the country. We surely
need a huge amount of faith to keep our sanity intact, especially with all the
news about mismanagement and shameless betrayal to the Filipino citizenry in
the middle of mayhem.
But despite all these personal wishes, I still go back to
that priceless moment when I saw all your smiles when you drew your own wishes,
very different from what I used to wish when I was younger. Most of you wished
for houses with a garden full of blooming flowers. Some of you even have heart-shaped windows and flying bicycles. Your creativity and optimism is
limitless. Most of the time, your idea
of a community is more sensible than grownups like us.
I silently prayed that those sketched houses, playgrounds,
bicycles, butterflies and rainbows will all come to life.
When I heard that a wish could be granted through #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014, I
immediately remember Angelica, Cesar, Jessica and the rest of the kids back in
Rizal Central Elementary School in Tacloban.
I realized that everyone is busy building wrecked houses and
restoring the physical state of Visayas. Those are very important for sure for
everyone needs a shelter to continue with their lives. But how about broken
hearts and spirits, especially for the youngest survivors of the calamity? You
experienced a disaster an adult could barely understand. I never experienced
the actual horror of the typhoon but the aftermath I saw on the actual disaster
ground was unbelievably heartbreaking.
It is all right to think of rebuilding your houses and I am
with you on that hope, but let the adults worry about it. Do you remember when
your parents throw you in the air and you chuckle and squeal with excitement?
Give us the same trust. We will surely
find ways to solve it.
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| Some of the kids from Rizal Central Elementary School with Tomas Leonor/AirJuan |
Instead of worrying
about that dilemma, I want you to have a place of your own. Your own space to continue
building castle in the sky and keep you imaginations full of rainbows and
butterflies. Your own spot to keep being kids and just spend hours of running,
dancing, sliding and singing. A place
which you can call the Playground of
Hope.
The playground will have all the colorful slides, monkey bars
and seesaws, maybe it will have a swing for a group and a basketball ring. It
will not just put a smile to your faces, but it will surely teach you how to
share with others, take turns and cheer a kid like you, to be brave enough to
try the breath-taking slide. You will soon realize
that life is more meaningful if shared, better if you have a cheering squad
behind you.
Ultimately, I would want you to just be happy, play all day, get tired,
have a good night dream and wake up next day assured that the world will be a
better place as soon as possible, just like your playground of hope.
Sincerely,
Kuya Mc
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You could do your share by checking ProjectWonderful, AirJuan and Coalition Against Trafficking in Women -Asia Pacific
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Artwork: Juan Ignacio
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "My wish is to have my own
bicycle."
Photo Credit: Tomas Leonor/ AirJuan
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Artwork: Gerardine Tracy B. Solamo
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "My wish is to have our house
fixed" (and she wrote it in English, she wants to have Apple Trees in
their yard and to see birds)
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Artwork: Rannel C. Adesas Jr.
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: "I wish to have a job and that our
family to be whole again."
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Artwork: Jenggoy T. Baranda
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: " I wish I could make a house."
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Artwork: Cyril Joy M. Lucente
Title: The Trees and Fishes
Evacuation Center, Rizal Central Elementary School,
Tacloban City, Philippines
Translation: “I want to see more trees and fishes, so
that there will be fresh air and food. I also want to help fix her house and
the houses of others.”
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